Spain Girds for General Strike: A conflict...

Spain Girds for General Strike: A conflict between the Socialist government and labor unions over measures to counter recession and rising unemployment will come to a head Thursday, when unions try to bring the country to a halt with a 24-hour general strike. At the heart of the dispute is a government bill to reform a rigid labor market. The government says the reforms, which make it easier for employers to hire and fire and encourage recruitment of apprentices, will give more people access to the labor market in a country where 23% of the work force is jobless. Unions say the reforms represent a direct attack on hard-won workers’ rights and will undermine job security.